


Broke the Camel's Back

by JoLau



Category: Sister Claire (Webcomic)
Genre: Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Rated for descriptions of body horror, mentioned miscarriage, shard!marie, shard!rosalie, suicide ideation (kinda)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26558032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoLau/pseuds/JoLau
Summary: What if instead of invading Oscar's mind, Rosalie's surfacing anger caused her to regress? This oneshot explores that possibility.
Relationships: Claire & Rosalie & Marie
Kudos: 1





	Broke the Camel's Back

**Author's Note:**

> Mind the tags. There are descriptions of body horror in here, as well as a bit of suicide ideation due to guilt, and a fleeting mention of a miscarriage.  
> Thanks to the Flock fanserver for encouraging me to write this after i posted some older fanart of mine of the twins as shards.

Years of lies. Months of being denied the truth. 

Rosalie reaches her breaking point.

She spits fury at Catharine, at Oscar. She curses and screams and hollers until her throat is raw- until she starts choking. Until she starts coughing hard, thumping a fist to her chest and cowering away from the hands of her loved ones, her breath a crinkling, wet echo. 

Rosalie coughs and wheezes until finally, she spits that which was lodged in her throat. 

A shivering glob of oily, fleshy ooze. 

That same oily ooze what drips from her lips like syrup. Stains the gaps between her teeth. 

Her pointed teeth. 

Rosalie spins on her heel and sprints into the trees, sword forgotten. 

Marie is the first to call after her; Marie, who sounds as though she has a frog in her throat. Marie: who's gone pale, whose memories resurface like a rolling boil. Marie takes off after Rosalie. 

And Claire runs after them, ignoring the confused, panicked shouts at her back. 

The twins need her. 

-

It's been an entire week. 

Oscar's whole body feels too heavy and too light simultaneously. Her eyes hurt. Her legs hurt. Her _heart hurts._ She wants ever so much to lie down and sleep right now, in the middle of the forest, and perhaps she'll simply let the hungry forest partake of her weary body until there's not even a bone left.

Oscar feels like she deserves that much.

She and Catharine thought it was for the best- all those lies and half-truths they conjured up, the flimsy shield they raised to protect their loved ones. The twins. Claire. The world was cruel and if they had known the truth, the world would have snapped them up the moment they tried to _live_ that truth.

Gabby tried to tell them it was wrong. That it would do more harm than good. 

And like a corpse, those secrets festered and grew until the bloated cocoon burst open. The rotten lies tainted all they touched. 

Catharine has been woken by nightmares of Rosalie, Marie, too many teeth. Oscar has held her many times as she wept, remembering what happened to her sister- fearing the same has become of Claire. Fearing that like her sister, Catharine will only ever find one piece of Claire to put in the ground.

All they can do is keep looking. 

-

Four more days pass.

Olga finds fresh tracks. They lead to a dilapidated stone ruin choked by vegetation. There's a hole cut in the curtain of creepers and moss that leads inside- it's big enough for a person. A very small person.

"Claire," Catharine whispers it like a prayer. Oscar follows her toward the ruin, drawing her sword.

"We will go first," Oscar says, cutting off objections from Olga, from Jackson. Lupo and Azi protest, too. "No… This… this is our responsibility." Oscar ducks under the floral curtain after her beloved.

It's damp and dark, inside the broken castle. It smells of earthy rot and wet sand. Thin beams of sunlight invade through the ceiling and speckle the floor. Aside from the drip of water, it's silent.

Oscar's neck hair rises as she hears a skitter in the dark.

Sword at the ready, she whirls around. Eerily, the shadows still. Oscar hisses for Catharine to stop, come here, there is something-

 _Something_ goes _clickclickclickclick_ above them. Oscar's brain envisions a spider in motion: a widow poised above its wary prey. 

Catharine's head rolls back against Oscar's chest as she looks up. She gasps, the sound shrill.

"Oscar-"

Bright yellow eyes glare down at them from the darkness. Those eyes are within a silhouette that cannot be human. For humans cannot hang from the ceiling without the aid of magick- humans are not so jagged, spiny, sharp. Humans can only possess a maximum of four limbs.

And as soon as it's satisfied with its observation, the shape on the ceiling retreats, the clacking of nails on stone barely distinguishable over the thunder of Oscar's pulse in her ears.

Seconds pass. They don't move. Catharine's breath rasps shakily over Oscar's tunic, adrenaline and fear and maternal instincts because _Claire could be here_ -

Something else comes toward them. A small shadow flanked by the same yellow-eyed silhouette from earlier. Bare feet pad against moss and dirt and crumbled stone.

"It's n-nice to see you both again."

Catharine's knees shake so much she almost collapses- Claire darts forward to catch her despite Oscar already holding Catharine around the waist. Catharine grips Claire's shoulders tight enough to make the girl wince for a half-second. Familiar, trembling hands map out Claire's face, cupping the sides of her face and holding Claire so she's looking Catharine in the face. Catharine's entire body heaves with a sob as she wraps her arms securely around Claire.

Claire holds her gently. Silently. Claire does not object when Catharine weeps messily into her hair, smudging wet lips against her forehead, stroking her autumnal locks almost possessively. 

Oscar has not taken her eyes off the shadowy figure nearby. It fidgets, becoming completely invisible with each blink. The shadows in this place are drastic. 

"Why did you run?" Catharine whispers when the sobs have abated. "Claire, why did you run?"

"I had to follow Rosie and Marie," Claire says in return, at her normal volume. Soft, still, but assertive. "They need me." Claire draws away, gently resisting Catharine's desperate hands. She offers her loved ones a placating smile and walks confidently to the shadow Oscar's had locked in a stare-down for the past several minutes, outstretching her hand palm-up to it. 

"It's okay." Claire says tenderly. She murmurs praises neither Oscar or Catharine can decipher when a slender, sharp hand clasps the one presented forth, black claws tipping pale fingers that are mottled with dark purple hues. Claire holds those claws tenderly, enclosing them in both of her hands fearlessly. Claire begins coaxing the stranger from the darkness. She fixes Oscar with a meaningful glare. 

"Put your sword away."

Oscar struggles to find the scabbard. Only once the blade is secured within it does Claire fully guide the figure forward. 

Catharine's hands fly to cover her mouth and smother her gasp. Oscar's eyes open so wide it hurts. 

Marie. The jagged, sharp, inhuman silhouette was Marie- _is_ Marie. Her yellow gaze flicks warily between Oscar and Catharine, posture demure. Her toes flex against the floor, dragging hard, black claws similar to the ones on her hands across the dirt, leaving gouges. Behind her there's movement- Oscar wishes it was a vine, or even perhaps a snake, but no. It's- it's Marie's _tail,_ the pooled length of its tip flickering anxiously on the ground. There are spines protruding from it, black like her nails, undoubtedly just as hard. Similar spines jut from her forearms, beneath the point of her elbows: two on each forearm, not symmetrical. Marie is wearing the same clothes she ran away in, albeit torn, but Catharine's expert eye can see where the fabric was sewn back together. Interestingly, Marie's hair is tied back like it always is. No hair hides her now-pointed ears. 

"Marie," chokes Oscar, taking a haggard step forward. Her legs ache. Her chest aches. "My little love, Marie, is it really you?"

Marie's throat bobs as she swallows. "I like to think I'm pretty unmistakable-" she jokes weakly. Her voice is scratchier than it was before, like there's a second person inside her mouth. "-but, uh, yeah. It's me, Oscar. It's Marie." Talking makes the sharp teeth inlaid on her cheeks move. There are tears in her cheeks, too, between the teeth not in her mouth, and if she opened her jaws wide enough it looks like the gaps would be large enough to see through.

Oscar forces the bile climbing her esophagus back into her stomach.

Catharine's bravery has always been commendable. Oscar thinks that now as her beloved takes small, unthreatening steps toward Marie in all her gristliness. Marie eyes her like a wary animal. Claire's thumb strokes her bruise-coloured knuckles. 

As Claire did before, Catharine offers her hand to Marie, palm up. Marie takes it. Her glowing eyes mist over when Catharine doesn't jump away, when Catharine holds onto her fingers. Marie sucks her lips into her mouth as her chin wobbles. 

"Marie, my darling girl," Catharine breathes, slowly reaching forward to smudge away a tear tracking down Marie's face. "What happened to you?"

Marie's smile isn't mean. It's sad. But that doesn't make it any less horrible to look at. "Everything has been making more sense lately. Rosalie hasn't been taking it well. I haven't either, but at least I'm still-" Marie's expression scrunches and quavers and Claire soundlessly presses into Marie's side, a hand sliding up the taller girl's arm. Silent, steady comfort. "-at least I'm st-still me. I still _look_ like m-me, even a little-"

"Marie," Claire whispers against her shoulder, threading her fingers between Marie's claws. Claire doesn't even twitch when those sharp nails dimple her knuckles. "You don't have to say anything else. It's okay." In response, Marie sniffles and dips her chin, closing her eyes. Tears leak over her eyelashes. Catharine removes her hand from Marie's; she cups the tall girl's cheeks in her palms, wiping those pretty, high cheekbones with her thumbs. 

Catharine looks imploringly at Claire- Claire looks back at her steadily, her expression a neutral frown. There're shadows over her face. Catharine's breath snags hard in her chest because she recognizes that look, the keen, flinty spark in Claire's eye. It's the same betrayed glare from months ago. 

When Claire lost what she believed was her baby. What Catharine and Gabby _convinced_ Claire was her baby. 

Clearly, the temporary warmth of the reunion has left Claire.

"Please, what has happened to Rosie?" Oscar says, finally speaking up. She comes as close as she can manage. Her jaw rolls with severe discomfort when she glances at Marie, now just a few feet away. Thankfully, Marie's eyes aren't open to see the grimace. But Claire's are. They're cutting as she looks at Oscar. 

"You can't see her." Claire says firmly. She cuts both older women off immediately when they try to protest. " _No_ . You _can't_. Rosalie has been hurt too much."

"Sh-she'll _flip_ if you guys get any closer," Marie trembles. Her tail whips apprehensively in the dirt. "She knows you're here. She- Rosie can sense you. She smells you. Rosie- she's so _angry-_ "

Claire tugs Marie's hand and they look at each other. It's a conversation that only takes a heartbeat. "I have to go to her," Claire breathes, and releases Marie's arm after giving her a light squeeze. Claire's eyes harden with urgency as she gives Oscar and Catharine a final look. "Do _not_ follow me. I mean it. _Don't_." Then she's hurrying back into the dark, bare feet slapping the ground.

Oscar doesn't listen to Claire. Oscar chases after her. Marie says- "Oscar, no!" -and tries to stop the older woman by grabbing her arm; her claws puncture thread and flesh easily. Oscar hisses, reactively wrenching her arm away, and Marie cowers back and clutches her hands to her chest, horrified. Catharine goes to the girl's side and lightly touches her forearm, sadly reaching out when Marie again flinches away. Oscar's heart screams, agonized, but she has to go. It could be a labyrinth in here. Claire is her only guide.

Claire's become a fast runner, but Oscar's stride is longer. She catches up to Claire and follows her head of bright hair bouncing with the beat of her legs. Claire rounds a corner, her pace slows down. Oscar slows down, too, and approaches the corner hesitantly.

"Rosie, I know you're angry, because I am too. We were kept in the dark for so long, and it hurts so much… I know, I know. It's okay, I'm here. Can I- oh, okay," Claire laughs softly, "you wanted hugs. I do, too. Sometimes that's all it takes to make things better, huh?" Oscar hears a mournful noise. It's caught between human and beastly- she can hear Rosalie's voice in that sound. But it's so- so _guttural_ , so animalistic. "I know, Rosie… I know it hurts. I'm here. I'm right here… shhh. Shhh, Rosie…"

Oscar presses against the wall, peeks around the corner. She can see nothing except for Claire with her arms around a pale shape, mottled the same way Marie's hands are, spines sticking out from pale shoulders. There are long arms around Claire and they have spines, too, also like Marie's but bigger, sharper. The broad beam of sunlight cast over Claire and the one hugging her sets spun-gold hair alight and Oscar's breath catches because-

"Little rose," Oscar breathes, fully rounding the corner. She steps slowly into the room, approaching with light footsteps. 

Oscar is only ten feet from the embracing girls. Her heart beats loudly in her ears; she's lightheaded with relief. They're alive. They're all alive! The twins have regressed, but that's something they can deal with together, like they should have in the first place instead of putting everything under dishonest lock and key. She swears to tell them everything, even the most painful memories-

Oscar stumbles on a thick root.

Rosalie's eyes snap open, sclera dark like tar. Up close, Oscar can see the mottled skin of her face, dominating her left cheek and casting a mask around her eyes.

Her eyes. 

White, glowing serpentine slits find Oscar's face through the din. Rosalie makes a noise, girl and animal and _hurt_ all blended together. Except it's not mournful.

It's _angry_.

"Rosie?" Claire's looking up at Rosalie now from where she's being clutched tighter against her chest. "Rosalie, what's wrong? Rosie-" 

Rosalie stands up. She stands up taller than she's supposed to be, unfurling from where she'd been on the floor. Claire gets left at her feet, under her, as though Rosalie is protecting her. From what, though? From Oscar? But why-

The root by Oscar's foot slithers away. Oscar blanches upon realizing this: that was not a root.

That was a tail. A terrible, spiked tail. Longer than Marie's.

_Much longer._

Rosalie is huge.

From the hips down, she's inhuman. 

Her torso sits atop a quadruped body, barrel chested and held aloft by four muscled limbs, the front pair resembling clawed hands. Spines follow Rosalie's back from her nape to the tip of her tail. As Oscar observed before, Rosalie's shoulders sport spikes, too: three on the right and two on the left standing out from her collar and deltoids. Her hair is loose. 

Rosalie takes a step forward. Fearfully, Oscar takes a step back. "Rosie- I- little rose, I am so-"

Rosalie howls furiously and charges. 

Oscar clenches her eyes shut and sees her life flash behind her lids. Over and over, she sees the injustices she delivered upon her own sisters.

She deserves this.

Death throws her aside with pain digging deep into her arm. "Oscar, get up!" It's not Rosalie. It's Marie. She's hauling Oscar to her feet, pleading with her eyes. "You need to get up, please, Claire's trying to calm her down but it's not _working-"_

Claire-

Claire's the obstacle between Oscar and her demise. She has her little hands up in a placating gesture, talking to Rosalie with a rushed voice.

"Rosalie, I know you're mad. You have every right to be mad at Oscar. She hurt you very badly. But please, don't do the same to her, please Rosie, be better than her, don't hurt her, Rosie-"

Rosalie snarls and tries to lunge. Claire staggers backwards, once again getting in the way. Rosalie stomps and paws the ground like an agitated animal, pacing, looking for a way to get to her target.

"Oscar, you need to leave," Claire says. Her fingers are moving, just barely, and Rosalie is too fixated on Oscar to notice the green sprouts rising from the soil. "Now _._ "

"But I-"

" _Get out_!" Claire shrieks. The volume of her voice puts motion back into Oscar's legs as Marie drags her as fast as they both can run from the room. Rosalie leaps over Claire for the chase just as Claire raises both of her fists powerfully into the air. 

Rosalie's mass slams into a hard wall of roots that creaks under the force. 

Oscar can hear Rosalie's frustrated, heartbroken screams all the way back to the main chamber.

Oscar's entire sleeve is shredded and bloody from Marie's guidance. Catharine hurries to examine the damage while Marie looks at her claws with disgust.

"You both really need to leave." Says Marie, looking at the ground. "Oscar, what you did was- that was so stupid. Why didn't you _listen_ ? We both _warned you_."

"I just- I wanted to see her. Rosalie. I needed to-"

"What about what _we_ want?" Marie growls suddenly, cutting Oscar off. In the next instant she's flinching away and holding her head in her hands. "Please, just get out. You know where we are, you know we're safe. You can let the others know we're okay, just tell them to _not_ come in here. Claire will come to _you_ when we're accepting visitors. Please. Just… just go. Please."

"Marie-"

"Oscar," says Catharine softly, taking the hand stretched toward Marie. "They need time. They need time away from _us_. Marie said Claire will let us know when they're ready to see us. Let's leave them in peace, my love." Catharine's tone is one that is resigned. Hurt beyond measure, but understanding. Marie glances at Catharine, folding her arms tight around herself. 

Oscar's entire body hurts. Her lungs, her legs. Her arm. There's a constant, high noise in her ears. She doesn't feel real. Simultaneously, she feels _too_ real. 

Oscar knew the moment of Rosalie's breakdown a week and a half ago, the past had come back to bite her for lying. Its teeth were sharp and its claws were cruel. 

However: Oscar can't help thinking after seeing Marie and Rosalie reduced to shadows of their former selves, and seeing the cold, pained look of absolute betrayal in Claire's eyes, and hearing Rosalie howl and scream for retribution, that she had been crueller still. 

**Author's Note:**

> After Rosalie has calmed down, Claire, Rosalie, and Marie hug it out together. So take solace in that. I know I am.


End file.
